County Controller’s Office Was Contacted By State Police After Amadio & Camp Fired Financial Admin Last Year

The Beaver County Controller’s Office was contacted by investigators with state police last year in the moments after Commissioners Dan Camp and Tony Amadio voted to fire the county’s financial administrator and oust Commissioner Sandie Egley as chairman, BeaverCountian.com can now report.

Controller David Rossi has confirmed on-the-record that he and Deputy Controller William Calhoon volunteered to be interviewed in March 2018 as part of ongoing investigations by state police into local government. The confirmation comes as Commissioner Sandie Egley once again publicly broached the subject of corruption during a speech she gave earlier this month.

Officials described to BeaverCountian.com at the time a chaotic scene in the courthouse, details of which had been provided strictly off-the-record until now.

Luckow was still packing up his office when cellphones began ringing in the pockets of some county officials. The Pennsylvania State Police wanted to talk.

Egley said she was debriefed at the barracks in Brighton Township just hours after Luckow’s termination. Rossi and Calhoon agreed to meet with investigators the next day. Luckow had also agreed to sit down for an interview.

Rossi and Calhoon each met individually on March 9 with a team that had by then already spent hundreds of hours probing the workings of local government.

Luckow similarly met with investigators, and described to BeaverCountian.com his meeting with a room full of officials from agencies including the Pennsylvania State Police, the organized crime section of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, along with others who sat silently and did not introduce themselves.

In the months before his termination by Camp and Amadio, Luckow had been quietly working with Egley to gather together documents that were turned over to State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Egley had revealed on New Year’s Day 2018 that she was assisting law enforcement, and announced she would not be seeking re-election as commissioner (she announced just this week her candidacy for county treasurer).

Egley again broached the subject of county corruption on Feb. 5 of this year. Her opening remarks at the State of Beaver County address sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce lead to audible whispers in the gathered crowd of business owners and executives.

“The backdoor men’s club is real. The corruption is real,” Egley said. “It’s all about who you know, your last name, and how you can work the system. It’s regularly discussed in the halls of the courthouse, as a matter-of-fact like.”

Egley reiterated her remarks later in the program, “There are ongoing investigations. It’s not normal to go up to the state police, it’s not normal to go to the FBI, it’s not normal to talk to the Attorney General’s Office. In my position, it’s just not normal.”

Egley’s assertions about a corrupt county government were met with ridicule by Camp and Amadio.

“We sat here last year talking about corruption. That is not our job,” Camp said. “We are not crime fighters, I am not the sheriff, I am not the (District Attorney), I’m not the local municipality police, I’m a county commissioner. … Right now that’s not what I’m focused on as a county commissioner is to fight corruption and discuss it.”

Camp went on to state emphatically that there is no corruption in county government under areas where he has responsibility.

Amadio agreed with Camp, saying he was proud of county government and its workers, and is unaware of any corruption.

“As far as corruption, I keep hearing that all the time but identify exactly what you’re talking about,” Amadio said. “There’s no way for me to even address a concept without any particulars.”

As with Egley, Rossi told BeaverCountian.com he can not provide specifics for this report on what he and Calhoon were asked by investigators, or what information they provided to aid ongoing investigations.

“I can’t talk about what was said, what we told them,” Rossi said. “I can’t comment.”

While Rossi and Calhoon have assisted state investigators, they have also become a subject of their inquiry. Last month BeaverCountian.com reported that investigators had begun asking county officials for information about iCPR, a real estate company owned by the two men. Rossi and Calhoon both insist there are no wrongdoings associated with their personal business ventures, and hint of retaliation by others in county government.

While Rossi and Calhoon have assisted state investigators, they have also become a subject of their inquiry. Last month BeaverCountian.com reported that investigators had begun asking county officials for information about iCPR, a real estate company owned by the two men. Rossi and Calhoon both insist there are no wrongdoings associated with their personal business ventures, and hint of retaliation by others in county government.

Vote Up13-2Vote Down Reply

Feb 20, 2019 3:29 pm

Member

Raven

They’re coming to get you piggy family…they’re coming to get you…

Vote Up18-2Vote Down Reply

Feb 20, 2019 4:38 pm

Guest

LostDollars

Who is the P in iCPR? Bet I can guess, look at their close friends in Monaca. Here Rossi is deflecting, giving JP a little something something to take the spotlight off of himself and that mess of an office.

Vote Up16-2Vote Down Reply

Feb 20, 2019 5:44 pm

Member

Accordingtome

You know, Tony, I’m willing to bet that when they frog march your ass out the door in handcuffs they will give you a nice long list of those particulars that you’d like to see. They’ll be the different counts for each charge on your arrest warrant.

Just saying.

Vote Up19-1Vote Down Reply

Feb 20, 2019 5:47 pm

Guest

Little Jimmy

There is definitely something in the wind. And it stinks of corruption. I think there is going to be a long line of perp walks from Beaver to Aliquippa. Soon.